TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS
STRENGTHENS DEVELOPMENT TEAM

CATHRYN SEYMOUR DORSEY
PROMOTED TO DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
&
ANN STAFFORD HIRED AS
MANAGER OF CORPORATE & FOUNDATION RELATIONS

In an effort to better serve its donors and sponsors, Texas Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Austin has restructured its Development Department with the promotion of Cathryn Seymour Dorsey from Director of Corporate & Member Relations to Director of Development and the addition of Ann Stafford as Manager of Corporate & Foundation Relations. This move strengthens the department’s Member, Corporate and Foundation initiatives, which are pivotal in supporting Texas Performing Arts’ mission as an academic arm of the UT College of Fine Arts.

Now directing Texas Performing Arts’ Development initiatives, Cathryn Seymour Dorsey oversees a staff focused on the organization’s Member, Corporate and Foundation relations. She brings 10 years of development experience as a fundraiser and grantor, along with 20 years of experience in business marketing, advertising and public relations in Austin and Washington, D.C. Before joining the Texas Performing Arts staff, Cathryn was Director of Development and Communications for Caritas of Austin and President of Dorsey Marketing Group, a consultancy specializing in communications planning and interim marketing management.

The new Manager of Corporate & Foundation Relations, Ann Stafford joins Texas Performing Arts from Spansion, LLC, where she managed the global community affairs program. Ann spent more than 20 years in non-profits and public sector and was instrumental in founding the Austin Public Library Foundation.

Texas Performing Arts Director and Associate Dean Kathy Panoff comments, “Both Cathryn Dorsey and Ann Stafford are seasoned development professionals who will lead Texas Performing Arts as we strive to substantially increase contributed support for our mission-based programs. I am honored to have them on our team.”

Corporate and individual member support is crucial in supporting the organization’s primary goals of student and community engagement. Since ticket sales and state funding alone cover only 63% of our budget, Texas Performing Arts relies on the community to bridge the gap between generated revenue and budget demands.

Contributions support the academic, research and community outreach mission of The University of Texas by:
• Mentoring the next generation of artists and arts leaders through instruction in theater design, production, and technology; master classes with our touring professionals; and arts management internships for UT students.
• Developing and cultivating future audiences by making the performing arts accessible to thousands of young people through in-school performances.
• Providing affordable tickets to UT students as well as students and teachers from Central Texas schools and colleges. Texas Performing Arts subsidizes over $100,000 annually to provide $10 student tickets for all performing art season performances.
• Helping to guarantee a secure future for the performing arts worldwide by commissioning new work. The University of Texas at Austin is a center of innovation, research and development, and Texas Performing Arts contributes to this esteemed standing by supporting the development of new works of music, theatre and dance.

For more information on Texas Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Austin, please visit www.TexasPerformingArts.org.